Relationship between blood calcium level and ST peak interval of electrocardiographic variables in peripartum Holstein cows

The association between blood calcium levels and electrocardiographic variables was compared in 137 normal parturient and 36 peripartum recumbent Holstein cows to determine whether hypocalcemia in peripartum dairy cows can be rapidly diagnosed using electrocardiograph. Inverse of STc (ST peak interval/SS interval^0.5) and blood ionized calcium or serum calcium concentrations were strongly correlated, and both correlation coefficients were 0.81 (P<0.001). The 95% prediction interval indicated that cows with STc >0.385 ± 0.001 sec are very likely to be hypocalcemic (blood ionized or serum calcium concentrations of <0.9 mmol/l or <7.5 mg/dl, respectively). These findings indicate that hypocalcemia in parturient cows can be non-invasively estimated using the STc.     

Ligand-binding characteristics of feline insulin-binding immunoglobulin G

Polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) G autoantibodies against insulin have been identified in sera of healthy cats. We purified and fractionated insulin-binding IgGs from cat sera by affinity chromatography and analyzed affinity of insulin-binding IgGs for insulin and their epitopes. Following the passing of fraction A, which did not bind to insulin, insulin-binding IgGs were eluted into two fractions, B and C, by affinity chromatography using a column fixed with bovine insulin. Dissociation constant (KD) values between insulin-binding IgGs and insulin, determined by surface plasmon resonance analysis (Biacore™system), were 1.64e⁻⁴ M for fraction B (low affinity IgGs) and 2e⁻⁵ M for fraction C (high affinity IgGs). Epitope analysis was conducted using 16 peptide fragments synthesized in concord with the amino acid sequence of feline insulin by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fractions B and C showed higher absorbance (affinity) of the peptide fragment of 10 amino acid residues at the carboxyl-terminal of the B chain (peptide No. 19), followed by peptide fragments of 6 to 15 amino acid residues of the B chain (peptide No. 8). Fraction C showed a higher absorbance to 7 to 16 amino acid residues of the B chain (peptide No. 5) compared with the absorbance of fraction B. Polyclonal insulin-binding IgGs may form a macromolecule complex with insulin through the multiple affinity sites of IgG molecules. Feline insulin-binding IgGs are multifocal and may be composed of multiple IgG components and insulin.     

Hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and effects of its inhibitors in canine lymphoma

Hypoxic conditions in various cancers are believed to relate with their malignancy, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) has been shown to be a major regulator of the response to low oxygen. In this study, we examined HIF-1α expression in canine lymphoma using cell lines and clinical samples and found that these cells expressed HIF-1α. Moreover, the HIF-1α inhibitors, echinomycin, YC-1 and 2-methoxyestradiol, suppressed the proliferation of canine lymphoma cell lines. In a xenograft model using NOD/scid mice, echinomycin treatment resulted in a dose-dependent regression of the tumor. Our results suggest that HIF-1α contributes to the proliferation and/or survival of canine lymphoma cells. Therefore, HIF-1α inhibitors may be potential agents to treat canine lymphoma.     

Detailed examination of the degradation of phenol derivatives under oxygen delignification conditions

Several phenolic compounds were subjected to oxygen-alkali oxidations under oxygen delignification conditions, and their degradations were examined in detail by applying a novel formula. The formula was established on the basis of the two following considerations. The degradation of the phenolic compounds should be expressed by the sum of two types, each of which is caused by molecular oxygen and by highly reactive active oxygen species (HAOS). The degradation should be described by a mathematical equation to which a rate function, k(t), dependent on reaction time t, is applied instead of a rate constant. By rearrangements, the following formula was obtained: k(t) = A/(t + B) (A, B are constants). This is hyperbola, and the illustration of k(t) visualized the contribution of HAOS to the degradation of the phenolic compounds. HAOS did not contribute so much to the degradation, especially at 70 degrees C, which suggests the low energy supply for the HAOS generation at 70 degrees C. The extrapolation of k(t) to the beginning of the reaction gives its initial value, k(initial), which is the rate constant of the reaction between the phenolic compounds and molecular oxygen. As expected, k(initial) was dependent on the electronic property of their substituents. Quantification of the phenolic compounds degraded by HAOS showed that the contribution of HAOS to the degradation is not great. The maximum contribution was observed in the oxidation of 2,6-dimethylphenol at 85 degrees C. In this case, 5 and 95% of the compound were degraded by HAOS and molecular oxygen, respectively.     

Specific detection of potentially allergenic kiwifruit in foods using polymerase chain reaction

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis) is allergenic to sensitive patients, and, under Japanese regulations, it is one of the food items that are recommended to be declared on food labeling as much as possible. To develop PCR-based methods for the detection of trace amounts of kiwifruit in foods, two primer pairs targeting the ITS-1 region of the Actinidia spp. were designed using PCR simulation software. On the basis of the known distribution of a major kiwifruit allergen (actinidin) within the Actinidia spp., as well as of reports on clinical and immunological cross-reactivities, one of the primer pairs was designed to detect all Actinidia spp. and the other to detect commercially grown Actinidia spp. (i.e., kiwifruit, Actinidia arguta, and their interspecific hybrids) except for Actinidia polygama. The specificity of the developed methods using the designed primer pairs was verified by performing PCR experiments on 8 Actinidia spp. and 26 other plants including fruits. The methods were considered to be specific enough to yield target-size products only from the target Actinidia spp. and to detect no target-size products from nontarget species. The methods were sensitive enough to detect 5-50 fg of Actinidia spp. DNA spiked in 50 ng of salmon testis DNA used as a carrier (1-10 ppm of kiwifruit DNA) and 1700 ppm (w/w) of fresh kiwifruit puree spiked in a commercial plain yogurt (corresponding to ca. 10 ppm of kiwifruit protein). These methods would be expected to be useful in the detection of hidden kiwifruit and its related species in processed foods.     

Monetary costs of dietary energy reported by young Japanese women: association with food and nutrient intake and body mass index

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the relationship of monetary diet costs to dietary intake and obesity, particularly in non-Western populations. This study examined monetary cost of dietary energy in relation to diet quality and body mass index (BMI) among young Japanese women. DESIGN: Dietary intake was assessed by a validated, self-administered, diet history questionnaire. Diet costs were estimated using retail food prices. Monetary cost of dietary energy (Japanese yen 1000 kcal-1) was then calculated. BMI was computed from self-reported body weight and height. SUBJECTS: A total of 3931 female Japanese dietetic students aged 18-20 years. RESULTS: Monetary cost of dietary energy was positively associated with intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish and shellfish, and pulses; however, higher monetary cost of dietary energy was also associated with higher consumption of fat and oil, meat and energy-containing beverages, and lower consumption of cereals (rice, bread and noodles) (all P for trend <0.01). At the nutrient level, monetary cost of dietary energy was positively associated with intakes of dietary fibre and key vitamins and minerals, but also associated positively with intakes of fat, saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and sodium, and negatively with carbohydrate intake (all P for trend <0.0001). After adjustment for possible confounders, monetary cost of dietary energy was quite weakly but significantly negatively associated with BMI (P for trend = 0.0197). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing monetary cost of dietary energy was associated with both favourable and unfavourable dietary intake patterns and a quite small decrease in BMI in young Japanese women.     

Genetic and physical mapping of the partial resistance gene, pi34, to blast in rice

ABSTRACT Partial resistance to rice blast in the Oryza sativa japonica group cv. Chubu 32 is controlled by Pi34, a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 11, and several uncharacterized QTLs. The objectives of the study were (i) high-resolution genetic and physical mapping of Pi34 and (ii) identification of new QTL imparting resistance to rice blast. Chubu 32 was crossed with a susceptible chromosomal segment substitution line (CSSL) of cv. Koshihikari. From 4,012 of segregating individuals, 213 recombinants in the Pi34 region were screened by using polymerase chain reaction-based markers and tested resistance in the field and greenhouse. The Pi34 locus is located in the 54.1-kb region on the genomic sequence of cv. Nipponbare. We constructed a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of Chubu 32, selected the clone containing Pi34, and sequenced it. The Pi34 locus consequently was located on an interval of 65.3 kb containing 10 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Two of these ORFs were predicted only in Chubu 32 and encoded transposable elements. The other eight ORFs were found in both Chubu 32 and Nipponbare and one of them, which encoded an unknown protein, showed significantly different amino acid sequences between two cultivars. The new QTL, Piq6(t), was detected on the short arm of chromosome 6 and the genetic distance of flanking markers was 16.9 centimorgans in Nipponbare. Pi34 and Piq6(t) acted additively on resistance to rice blast but the effect of Piq6(t) was relatively small compared with Pi34.     

Quantitative analysis of pattern of gonial proliferation during sexual maturation in Japanese scallop <Emphasis Type="Italic">Patinopecten yessoensis</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   This study was undertaken to describe and quantitatively analyze the pattern of development of gametes in the Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis . Incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into gonial cells was used to quantitatively detect mitotically active gonial cells. Oogonia increased in number from November to December and decreased rapidly to March. A small number of oocytes was detected in November. Oocytes steadily increased in number and size up to March. The number of spermatogonia slightly increased from November to December, and increased markedly from January to March. Both ratios of BrdU-immunopositive gonial cells in the ovary and testis to gonial cells moderately increased from September to December. The ratio of BrdU-immunopositive spermatogonia to gonial cells drastically increased from January to February and kept an elevated level in March, whereas the oogonia started to disappear in January. The results suggest that the pattern of proliferation of gonial cells can be divided into two phases: (i) phase I, oogonia and spermatogonia slowly proliferate through the growing stage; and (ii) phase II, oogonia develop into oocytes and spermatogonia begin to proliferate rapidly through the mature and spawning stages. The proliferation of gonial cells is likely under different endocrine controls in phases I and II.